Video: Morristown council authorizes more tinkering on Speedwell redevelopment plans, 1 of 3

richard murphy
Developer Richard Murphy addresses Morristown council about Speedwell Avenue redevelopment. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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Last night the Morristown council, which is the town redevelopment agency, authorized a developer and planners to fine-tune revisions to redevelopment plans for a 13-acre chunk of Speedwell Avenue. These revisions will be submitted for council approval in the future.

Two major issues are unresolved: How many affordable housing units to incorporate into the project, and whether to proceed with a massive realignment of Spring and Early streets to reduce traffic congestion.

An hour-long hearing — presented here in three video segments of roughly 20 minutes apiece– picked up where a September hearing left off.

It featured developer developer Richard Murphy of the Mill Creek Residential Trust LLC (formerly Trammell Crow), architect Dean Marchetto of Hoboken and planner Daniel Hernandez of Jonathan Rose Companies, the town’s new planning consultants.

They spoke of a three-phase build-out with these key points:

  • The project’s scale remains about the same as before: 650 residential units and 35,000-square-feet of retail
  • Phase I would include 280 residential units in a five-story structure  with parking underneath
  • Architectural touches would attempt to make the building appear smaller than five stories
  • The town public works garage would have to be relocated
  • A realignment of Prospect Street would enable the town ambulance squad, next door to the garage, to stay–at least for Phase I
  • Several homes on Early Street would have to go
  • Town houses along Clinton Place, formerly slated to go, would remain because owners no longer want to sell
  • All three phases can be built with or without a controversial realignment of Spring and Early streets
  • In any case, realignment of that congested intersection (Spring/Speedwell/Early) probably is four to five years away; the planner suggests more study of the potential traffic impacts of a realignment
  • Plans to create 2 acres of parkland, including a “mini-Green,” would come after Phase I
  • The developer says creation of residential units first is crucial for funding everything else
  • The timing and sequence of events in Phases II and III are undetermined
  • UNRESOLVED: Affordable housing.

Plans had called for 20 percent of the residential units to be affordable. But the state is revising its set-aside rules, and the recession is posing further challenges for builders. The developer sought council permission last year to build 70 affordable units next to seniors housing on Early Street. But critics warned that would create a ghetto, and the new mayor, Tim Dougherty, hired new planners to take a fresh look at the entire project, which has been on the drawing board since 2004.

In this video segment: Rich Murphy says each development phase must be able to stand alone. Getting started with Phase I is “very important” to create an influx of cash, he says. He describes what property must be “taken” in Phase I: The DPW garage and several homes on Early Street. Architect Dean Marchetto describes turning earlier plans “inside out” to create more promenades and green spaces on the exterior of the project.

Thanks to town Clerk Matt Stechauner for his assistance.

MORE ON THE SPEEDWELL REDEVELOPMENT:

Video: Morristown Speedwell Avenue redevelopment hearing, 2 of 3

Video: Morristown Speedwell Avenue project, 3 of 3

Morristown starts redeveloping the Speedwell redevelopment plan

richard murphy
Developer Richard Murphy addresses Morristown council about Speedwell Avenue redevelopment. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

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